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Welcome to the SunEarth Newsletter–bringing you the best in solar thermal, industry news, and the latest SunEarth updates each month.

“Lucky” “Excited” “Proud” – these are the words the SunEarth team use when talking about working with you, our Distributors, our Contractors - our Customers.

As we celebrated Thanksgiving last week with our family and friends, we wanted to take the opportunity to let you know again, how thankful we are to work with you. We know our business is based on the success of yours, and we take that to heart.

We are grateful for each of you who have put your trust in SunEarth throughout the years and value every day that you continue to partner with us to make a difference towards a cleaner, greener, environment.

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to do what we love while making a difference in your lives and your business.

 

The Do's and Don't of Glycol Heat Transfer Fluids

Information to help Technicians Optimize and Protect


SOLAR HOT WATER SYSTEMS

Antifreeze is one word that Solar Thermal installers and owners should understand. For the Solar Thermal contractor, this antifreeze is more accurately described as the heat transfer fluid (HTF) necessary for the proper functioning of solar thermal systems in different regions of the country. Primarily referred to as glycol, the product comes in different formats, however SunEarth recommends usage of the Dow Chemical Dowfrost HD propylene glycol heat transfer fluid (HTF).

Solar water heating systems have the unique characteristic of producing very high fluid temperatures during summer stagnation conditions. In a forced circulation system, a mechanical pump is utilized to efficiently circulate the Dow Chemical Dowfrost HD propylene glycol heat transfer fluid (HTF) throughout the system. Thus specific glycol requirements utilizing special high temperature corrosion inhibitors to protect the fluid from breaking down rapidly, such as the Dow Chemical HD Propylene Glycol. The HTF protects the collector piping from freezing and inhibits scaling deposits that can reduce performance in indirect systems. If the wrong glycol is used in a solar water heating system, the fluid can break down rapidly. This can result in plugged collectors, blocked pumps, and in extreme situations systems that must be abandoned entirely.. Proper application and maintenance of the HTF can protect your water heating system to minus 60° Fahrenheit.


Operating a solar thermal system without proper propylene glycol levels can cause permanent damage to the system itself, testing propylene glycol is an important component of proper system maintenance. Fortunately, there are several reliable methods available to evaluate this.

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What Makes Employee-Owned Companies so Resilient?

Hint: It has to do with the Employee-Owners

All of us at SunEarth work hard each day to anticipate risks and adapt to our market. Bigger risks like a recession, or pandemic, are harder to predict. One piece of good news, however, is that working at an employee-owned business like ours may actually be a safer bet during a recession. Back in 2008, many companies had to shut their doors when the cash stopped flowing, and the national unemployment rate peaked at 10% in 2010.

According to the 2010 General Social Survey, 12.1% of adults working the private sector reported being laid off that year. Meanwhile, only 2.3% of adults working in a company that offered some form of employee ownership reported being laid off. That nearly 10% spread means that hundreds of thousands of employee-owners continued working even during the worst economy many of us have seen.

Why do employee-owned companies lay off fewer of their workers? One of the obvious reasons is that each of our employees own the company. During tough times, we may all have to adjust, but employee ownership means that our people are here for the long haul. That creates a very different working environment than a business where employees are seen as expendable. And ensures that manufacturing continues, and your products are still shipped out.

We may not be able to predict the future, but we do know we’re better prepared for whatever comes with a team like ours.

 

Please note that the SunEarth office will be closed beginning December 25, 2020. Though the office might be closed, you can rest assured that we are using our time wisely to chug mugs of hot cocoa, stuff our faces with christmas cookies, and attempting to memorize every single line of such Christmas classics like National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. (We not so secretly hope you use this time just as wisely.) But not to fret, we'll be back in front of our computers Monday, January 4, 2021.

We wish you all the warmest of holiday cheer!

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